


wherever you stray, i follow

by thatsoddlyromantic



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Tree, F/F, Fluff, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:41:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28280307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatsoddlyromantic/pseuds/thatsoddlyromantic
Summary: Dani goes looking for a Christmas tree. However, she ends up finding something more than she expected after meeting Jamie, who owns a tree nursery outside of town.(Written for jamiesluv on Tumblr as part of the 2020 Damie Secret Santa exchange!)
Relationships: Dani Clayton & Jamie, Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	wherever you stray, i follow

**Author's Note:**

> This one definitely ran away from me, but I had a lot of fun with it! Hope you enjoy some holiday AU!Damie :)

Dani watched the scenery change as she drove past the city limits, seeing the towering buildings become replaced by endless sprawls of snowy field. She didn’t head out this way often since she was a city girl at heart, but today she was on a mission. Having had no luck at the Christmas tree lots in town, Dani decided she would expand her horizons and search for a tree this year elsewhere— which was when a quick Google search had suggested she try a place called Moonflower Nursery. It had gotten decent ratings and was located about half an hour outside of town, so Dani thought it couldn’t hurt to check it out.

After putting the location for the tree farm into her GPS, Dani got into her car and set off. The radio was already tuned to a station that was playing Christmas music, so she decided to sing along to help pass the time. As she turned onto the final stretch of road, Taylor Swift’s cover of “Last Christmas” came on. Dani turned the volume up since it happened to be one of her favourite holiday songs. A few moments later, she saw a wooden sign on the side of the road come into view. “Moonflower Nursery,” it read in carved letters. A flower had also been engraved into the wood underneath the words.

Dani smiled as she pulled up to the lot, relieved that she’d made it to her destination. Once she’d parked her car, she stepped outside to get her first real look at the place. Her eyes were wide as she took in the picturesque landscape. It honestly reminded Dani of a painting, with rows upon rows of beautiful trees and freshly fallen snow. There was also a small barn-like building in a clearing away from the main property. After snapping a few selfies of herself in front of the tree farm’s entrance, Dani headed off to begin her search.

After walking past a few trees, she came upon a fir with branches that were slightly askew. Dani couldn’t help but feel like this tree was one that had been passed over before, not given a fair chance because of its imperfections— and for that reason, she found herself pausing in front of it. As she thought about the fir however, she didn’t hear the footsteps that were slowly approaching in the snow.

“Thinking of taking that one home, are you?” she heard a female voice call out in a British accent.

Dani turned around to see a brunette woman walking towards her. The woman was about Dani’s height. She had short, wavy hair, and was wearing a green parka with jeans and Doc Martens.

“Yeah, actually I am,” Dani said in response. “I don’t know, there’s something about it that’s just so...”

“Lonely?” the woman offered.

She had made her way over to Dani now, the two of them standing in front of the fir tree.

“Firs generally seem to be a popular choice,” she explained. “But this one... well, let’s just say it’s been here a while.”

“Yeah,” Dani replied, thoughtful. “It is lonely, isn’t it?”

She looked over at the brunette, her blue eyes meeting brown ones in silent understanding. Dani couldn’t help but find herself strangely drawn to her, just as she had been with the tree.

“Sorry, I feel like I should introduce myself,” she said apologetically. “I’m Dani.”

Dani smiled as she extended a hand towards the woman, who took it in her own.

“Jamie,” she replied.

Her handshake was firm, but there was also a gentleness to it at the same time.

“So I’m guessing the nursery is yours then?” Dani asked. “I mean, since you know a lot about these trees and there doesn’t seem to be anyone else here.”

The woman— who Dani now knew as Jamie— chuckled.

“That’s right,” she said proudly. “Been out here for a few years now. There’s just something so freeing about getting away from it all, you know?”

Jamie looked wistful at the very idea of it.

“I tend to stay in the city,” Dani admitted. “But this place is real beautiful.”

That’s when a thought suddenly occurred to Jamie.

“Well, Dani, since it seems you’ve already picked out a tree...”

She paused, smiling at Dani.

“...how’d you like a tour?”

* * *

The two had been traipsing through the snow for some time now, finding themselves all the way over on the other side of the property. While Dani was genuinely interested in talking to Jamie and seeing everything she had to show her, she was also starting to feel a slight chill in the air. Since she’d expected her trip out of town to be a quick one, Dani had only worn a light wool sweater and jeans— a choice she now regretted. Still, she braved the weather since it meant getting to spend more time with Jamie.

Dani listened intently as Jamie shared various anecdotes about the nursery and its trees, trying to focus on the sound of her voice instead of how cold she currently was. As they stopped in front of the barn-like building, Jamie glanced over at Dani. Her teeth were chattering and she’d wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to stay warm.

“Jesus,” Jamie muttered under her breath. “You must be freezing!”

“Well, I, ummm—“ Dani stammered, not quite knowing what to say.

“Here, have this,” Jamie said. She took her coat off and handed it to Dani, revealing the forest green flannel she’d been wearing underneath.

“Are you sure?” Dani asked. She looked at the jacket and then back to Jamie, surprised by the thoughtful gesture.

Jamie nodded.

“Yeah. I mean, you clearly need it more than me right now.”

“Thank you so much,” Dani replied. She zipped the jacket up, sighing with relief. “I didn’t expect to be out here for so long!”

The sun was starting to set in the distance. Dani looked at her watch, realizing it was even later than she’d thought.

“No one’s forcing you to stay here,” Jamie commented wryly. “You can take the tree and head home any time.”

“I know,” Dani said, stuffing her hands into the pockets of Jamie’s coat. “But I _want_ to stay.”

She stepped closer to Jamie, her breath lingering in a puff of cold air between them. As they looked into one another’s eyes, Dani felt her heart beat faster. She couldn’t explain it, but it felt like something between them had shifted in that moment.

The corner of Jamie’s mouth twitched upwards in a smile.

“Well, seeing as you’re not in any rush... care to join me for a cup of tea?” Jamie offered.

“That would be wonderful,” Dani said, smiling brightly. She followed Jamie into the barn-like building, which, as she discovered, turned out to be more of a small house than an actual barn.

It was a cozy space with a rustic feel to it, and Dani was immediately grateful to have been invited inside.

“Make yourself at home,” Jamie said, heading into the kitchen to prepare their tea.

Dani went and sat down on the worn leather couch, taking in her surroundings. She smiled as she noticed that the place was decorated with various potted plants, seeing that Jamie’s love of nature extended indoors as well.

“Does it ever get boring?” Dani suddenly asked. “Living out here like this, I mean?”

“Not at all,” Jamie said. “I’ve grown so used to it by now, and I’ve got everything I need.”

“You don’t miss being around people though?”

Jamie shook her head.

“People are fine in moderation,” she replied. “They come here to get their trees, have a quick chat, and then go on their way. But honestly, as a whole? They exhaust me.”

Jamie entered the room holding two cups of tea, one for her and one for Dani. She handed Dani her own cup before sitting down on the couch next to her.

Dani took a sip of her tea, which tasted far better to her than any cup of tea she’d ever attempted to make.

“Although... it’s been quieter than it usually is around this time of year,” Jamie continued. “I must admit, I’m glad to have some company.”

Dani smiled.

“So am I,” she said. “The city can get lonely too, at times. Especially when you’re alone for the holidays.”

Dani paused to take another sip of her warm drink.

“I take it you don’t invite everyone who stops by in for a cup of tea then,” she remarked.

Jamie laughed.

“No, definitely not.”

Dani frowned, thinking about the day’s events.

“So why did you invite me?”

She turned to face Jamie, regarding her with curiosity.

“Because of the tree,” Jamie said. “When you picked out that fir, I could just tell there was something about you that was different from the others. Special, even.”

Dani’s eyes widened. So Jamie had felt something between them too.

“And then you chose to stay,” Jamie continued, “spending the afternoon trudging through a snowy field when you could’ve left at any time. No one’s ever done that before. And the more we talked...”

Jamie paused, looking directly into Dani’s eyes.

“The more I realized something.”

“What?” Dani asked.

“That I _like_ you, Dani.”

Dani felt her cheeks heat up, which she knew wasn’t just from the warmth of the tea. She set her cup down beside her.

“Well...” she said, “I wouldn’t have stuck around if I didn’t like you too.”

Without another word, Dani leaned forward, closing her eyes as she kissed Jamie. For a second, she was anxious that she’d read things wrong, that Jamie didn’t like her in that way and she was about to ruin whatever this was. But then Jamie kissed her back, and Dani knew in her heart that what she had been feeling was real. And that Jamie felt it as well.

Just then, a thought occurred to Dani.

“What about the tree?” she asked.

“I think we can take care of that tomorrow,” Jamie said, smiling into Dani’s lips as she kissed her again.


End file.
